sage - culinary and ceremonial
Hail Salvia!
I harvested all but one of my sage plants this morning. The house smells...savory. Sage is a wonderful herb. Sage has silvery-green, rough, oval leaves. Fresh sage has a tangy flavor with citrus sharpness that fades in the dried plant. Like many herbs (and let's face it, most plants), sage has antioxidants, polyphenols, tannins, saponins, and flavenoids. All those good phytonutrients. When consumed, sage aids digestion. Burning sage clears the air and acts as a natural deodorant. In ceremonial use, burning sage is used to purify and cleanse not only the physical but also the energy in a location. Sage can be used as an antiseptic, antifungal, and contains small amounts of estrogen. Anecdotal information (from my grandmother who was Shoshone) says that sage tea is effective for "women's problems" such as menstrual cramps and menopausal hot flashes.
I harvested all but one of my sage plants this morning. The house smells...savory. Sage is a wonderful herb. Sage has silvery-green, rough, oval leaves. Fresh sage has a tangy flavor with citrus sharpness that fades in the dried plant. Like many herbs (and let's face it, most plants), sage has antioxidants, polyphenols, tannins, saponins, and flavenoids. All those good phytonutrients. When consumed, sage aids digestion. Burning sage clears the air and acts as a natural deodorant. In ceremonial use, burning sage is used to purify and cleanse not only the physical but also the energy in a location. Sage can be used as an antiseptic, antifungal, and contains small amounts of estrogen. Anecdotal information (from my grandmother who was Shoshone) says that sage tea is effective for "women's problems" such as menstrual cramps and menopausal hot flashes.